MODAL VERBS + BE + ING VERB

1- Present Continuous gives intention of continuous action in the present

eg. I am preparing a review class right now.

2- Modal Verbs give intentions for the following verbs in the present / past / future
eg. I might prepare a review class. (present)
I will prepare a review class. (future)
I would prepare a review class. (past)

3- Modal Verbs + Be + Gerung (ING) verb firstly shows the intentio (modal verbs) but not in the
present, past or future but in the continuous form.
eg. I might be preparing a review class. (there`s a chance of a continuous action be happening)
I could be preparing a review class. (there`s a probability that a continuous aciont is happening)

EXERCISES FOR COMPREHENSION

1- Complete with the correct Modal Verb according to the intention that is asked.
eg. They could be here to see how good it is. (remote probability)

a) You ____should__________ keep the phone near you. (good thing to do)
b) She _____must__________ have it ready by tomorrow. (obligation)
c) He ______would___________ meet them all that day. (unreal situation in past)
d) Ask the secretary. She ______can_________ speak japanese very well. (ability)
e) They _____could____________ stay here every vacation in 1992. (past possibility)
f) She _____might_____________ remember me. It`s been so long we don`t meet. (a chance of action
happens)

2- Complete the ideas below using Present Continuous.

eg. Tom is in the bathroom right now. He is taking a shower.

a) Sarah needs to talk to her mother. She _is arriving in mothers home now________.
b) My boss asked me to finish this report. I must be finishing the last page now
c) The cleaning woman was fired. she should be looking for another job
d) My friends want to live in Canada. they might be buying the tickets
e) The mobile is in my pocket. it can be ringing he could be reaching her
g) The manager is on vacation for 1 month. he would be skiing in Alaska
h) I gave a chocolate box to my friend. She may be eating all the chocolates
i) They have a serious health problem. they can't be walking anymore

3- Use the sentences from exercise 2 and fill in the exercise 3 with the structure Modal
Verbs + Be + Gerund (ing) verb.
eg. Tom might be taking a shower.

a) Sarah needs to talk to her mother. She _is arriving in mothers home now________.
b) My boss asked me to finish this report. I must be finishing the last page now

c) The cleaning woman was fired. she should be looking for another job
d) My friends want to live in Canada. they might be buying the tickets
e) The mobile is in my pocket. it can be ringing he could be reaching her
g) The manager is on vacation for 1 month. he would be skiing in Alaska
h) I gave a chocolate box to my friend. She may be eating all the chocolates
i) They have a serious health problem. they can't be walking anymore
CAN - present possibility / ability
COULD - past of can / formal of CAN
MAY - high chance
MIGHT - low chance
SHOULD - advice / good or bad thing to do
MUST - obligation / prohibition
WOULD - unreal situation in the present / repeated action in the past
WILL - instant action and distant future